Speedway reinforcing gates after crash safety reviews

The reinforcements, prompted by a last lap crash in the Nationwide Series race on Feb. 23, will be completed prior to the Coke Zero 400 weekend July 5-6.

DINAH VOYLES PULVERSTAFF WRITER

With racing action returning to Daytona International Speedway in just under two weeks, a project to reinforce crossover gates in the track safety fencing that failed to stop crash debris from injuring fans in a February race started this week. The work will be completed prior to the Coke Zero 400 weekend July 5-6, Speedway spokesman Andrew Booth said Friday. The reinforcements were prompted by a last lap crash in the DRIVE4COPD Nationwide Series race on Feb. 23 that destroyed a car driven by rookie Kyle Larson. Pieces of Larson's car slammed into the fence, sending a wheel and other parts flying into the stands through one of the crossover gates, injuring more than 30 spectators. The crash, which sent more than 14 fans to area hospitals including several who were critically injured, prompted immediate safety reviews by the Speedway and NASCAR. Results of those safety reviews were announced at an April news conference by Speedway President Joie Chitwood III. At the time, Chitwood announced an independent structural engineering consultant had reviewed the fencing and recommended changes to the eight crossover gates in the Speedway's safety fencing. The gates allow fans and officials to move between the grandstands and the infield before and after races via a set of portable metal stairs lowered to the track surface. A second company was hired to provide peer review and analysis to the first company's recommendations. Additional steel cables were recommended to create a "redundant system to enhance continuity to the gate area," Chitwood said in April. The track also planned to add tethering between the gate frame and posts of the crossover areas. Chitwood said the key was "how that whole system was in place and creating some redundancy with it to make sure that it's as strong as possible." Similar changes to the gate fencing system have been made at Talladega Superspeedway, Daytona's sister track. Based on the recommendations, Chitwood said he felt they were the "right steps to be able to go racing." After the February crash, Larson's car was taken to NASCAR's Research & Development Center in Concord, N.C. The racing body's senior vice president Steve O'Donnell said in the spring they were breaking down every part of the car and crash to see if there was anything to learn. Information from the car's "black box" recorder, such as the car's impact speed, acceleration and impact angle, was provided to the Speedway for its review. O'Donnell said NASCAR would be sharing the information they learned with the other tracks. From there, he said. "we'll be looking at speeds, angles, and a number of different factors that may apply at each individual track." Chitwood said track officials did not discuss removing the crossover gates, adding they served a purpose for fans and industry personnel.